Reminiscence
by Kirishtu
Summary: Eragon gets dragged out of bed to go riding with Arya for the day. Curious to see where Eragon used to live before coming to the Varden, and the elves, she convinces him to take her to Palancar Valley. A request by VampyGurl402 as a birthday gift for Arashi Wolf Princess.


A light buzzing awoke him from his waking dreams and he blinked blearily as the world around him came into focus. Eragon stretched and let out a yawn almost as mighty as Saphira's. Speaking of Saphira...

A light tendril of thought was all it took to locate her. She had risen with the dawn to go hunting with Fírnen, a ritual the two dragons had find since they had come to spend a few days in Ellesméra with Arya. It didn't hurt that Roran was here, too, with his wife Katrina and their infant daughter, Ismira, but today Eragon was of the notion that he was sixteen years old, and though he had the weight of the world of his shoulders, he simply wanted to be a lazy teenager today. Which meant lounging in bed until he chose to get up, whether it was now or four hours from now.

He stretched until his muscles burned, yawning again. It had been weeks since the downfall of Galbatorix and the world was just beginning to set itself right. Nasuada was consolidating her power as Queen, Orrin was back in Surda to deal with the newest round of politics that had arisen since he'd annexed part of Alagaësia, Orik was back in Tronjheim to deal with his people, and so had the rest of the Varden and their allies returned to their homes to try and put some semblance of a life back together. It was the kind of peace that usually came after a great war, and the kind of peace that came before another conflict.

Eragon's brows drew together as he thought about that other 'conflict' he was about to get into. He'd already told Arya and Nasuada he was leaving Alagaësia forever, to look for a safe place to care for the dragon eggs and Eldunarí that his predecessors had hidden in the Vault of Souls on Vroengard, but that didn't mean he wanted to go right away. He wanted some time to just be Eragon, not Shur'tugal or Shadeslayer or Kingkiller or whatever other title he had earned over the past year. For once, I'd just like to be normal.

A soft snort entered his mind. _Little one, you will never be normal anymore._

_Doesn't mean I can't pretend. _He wondered how close Saphira was since she'd responded to his voice. She sent him an image of a clearing outside Ellesméra of Fírnen and a dead deer that he'd proudly caught just for her. _You shouldn't let him coddle you like that._

_I'm not letting him do anything. _She responded tartly. _He's just trying to impress me._

_He's 'impressed' you several times already._

If dragons were capable of blushing, Eragon was sure Saphira was blushing right now. _Well, a sign of a good mate is that he's capable of hunting and providing while you tend the eggs._

_You don't have any eggs._

_I might. One day. Besides, I have needs._

_I have needs too, but that doesn't mean I enjoy being woken up in the middle of the night because you decided to have your needs taken care of._

_It isn't my fault your mate doesn't wish to mate._

_She's not my mate._ The truth of that statement made his heart ache a bit. He felt Saphira's sympathy, but it wasn't much. Oh, he and Arya spent a great deal of time together. They knew each other far too well not to spend time with one another. But Arya was still hesitant when it came to reciprocating Eragon's feelings for her, though he knew age and race had nothing to do with her hesitation now. Since he'd made the choice to leave, Eragon had known, even come to terms with the fact, that Arya would be even more hesitant about starting a life with him. Should something happen, how was he to raise a family if she was in Alagaësia and he was who knows where? It was better for them both just to remain friends, with the occasional hand-holding when Arya thought no one was looking, or the kiss stolen when Eragon felt brave enough to risk being smacked for being so bold.

Knowing that Saphira would share in his misery - for she liked Fírnen, no matter how many times she proclaimed dragons didn't mate for life - made him feel a little better, but not by much.

_Go on, then, _Eragon said with a sigh. _Go take care of your needs._

_What about you?_

_I'll figure it out._

Fully awake now, and feeling just a little jealous among other emotions, Eragon stretched again and considered rolling out of bed to get a bath. Then Saphira's emotions and feelings began rolling through their mental link, and Eragon decided staying in bed wasn't such a bad idea. He was just getting to the best part when that annoying buzz sounded again.

Exasperated, Eragon focused on that sound, and was surprised by the feel of the mind creating it. Desperate to hide his feelings - a futile effort considering - he opened his mind and said, _Arya?_

He couldn't tell if her amusement came from the fact she knew what he was trying to hide, or the fact that she, too, was feeling the same thing. _Good morning. I didn't want to intrude on you if you were still sleeping._

_I'm not anymore._

_In that case, would you care to indulge me? There's something I wish to ask of you._

Struggling not to get his hopes up - he was, after all, still a teenager even if he wasn't quite human anymore - Eragon replied, _Of course. Should I meet you at the bottom of the treehouse?_

_That's fine. I'll see you shortly. Dress for riding._

_Horses or dragons?_

_Dragons, of course._

Despite himself, Eragon smiled as Arya broke their link. Already his curiosity and imagination were getting the better of him, but he blamed Saphira for that. He pushed himself out of bed and hurried to take a bath, used magic to dry himself and take care of minor details, like brushing his hair, then dressed in dark boots, leggings, and an elven tunic that had been added to his wardrobe at some point, then covered his shins and wrists with greaves and bracers respectively. He considered the rest of his armor, but he couldn't justify a need for it, since he was sure they were just going to be staying in Du Weldenvarden, and so only grabbed Brisingr. He was belting on the sword when Saphira contacted him. A moment later, she alighted on the ledge that opened up into his room from outside.

He smiled when he saw her. Even now, she looked resplendent and beautiful. Her scales sparkled radiant blue in the sunlight that streamed through the yawning opening. She shuffled her wings, then folded them against her sides. _Arya called Fírnen back. He said you and she are planning to ride._

_Arya is, anyway. _Eragon replied, moving to fetch Saphira's saddle. He wasted no movement as he swung it on her back and began to tighten the straps to keep it on her. _We're simply supposed to meet her at the bottom of the treehouse, and then she's going to enlighten us._

_I wonder if it'll be exciting._

_When is it not?_

Eragon pulled himself into the saddle, but he didn't bother to strap down his legs. He wasn't sure where they were going just yet, and he trusted Saphira not to jar him too badly that he'd end up falling off. Still, he gripped the spike in front of him in a single-handed grip. Saphira shook herself, rocking Eragon from side to side gently. Then she turned back to the opening and they looked out onto the verdant forest of Du Weldenvarden that stretched far into the distance. Then Saphira sprang out from the treehouse, soaring a long while before gravity began to take hold of her. Only when she started to turn toward the ground nose-first did she spread her wings and turn her headlong fall into a graceful descent, winging gently through the morning light toward the base of the giant tree that held the treehouse that once belonged to Vrael, and now belonged to him for the time being. A few more days, anyway. Then he, Saphira, the Eldunarí, and the eggs would be departing for good.

Eragon spotted the verdant green of Fírnen's scales among the shadows below the canopy of the forest. Standing beside him was Arya. She was dressed much the same as Eragon, though she had her bow as well as Támerlein. She also seemed to have saddlebags tied to Fírnen's saddle, which made Eragon wonder what Arya intended.

When Saphira landed, Eragon greeted Arya and said, "Should I have packed a bag?"

Arya's lips twitched in a smile. "No, it's not necessary. I've packed everything we should need."

Eragon's brow rose. "Where are we going that you need to pack and I don't?"

Arya's smile became a little gentler. "I was hoping to see where you lived before you came to the Varden, and to us. Palancar Valley is only a day's flight from here, if Saphira and Fírnen are willing to fly that fast."

_Of course we are, _said Fírnen, the emerald dragon's deep voice ringing through their minds. He looked toward Saphira. _I've always wanted to see where you hatched._

Saphira hummed, pleased. _Then we shall fly faster than we've ever flown before._ She spread her wings.

Arya climbed onto Fírnen's back as Eragon tightened the straps around his legs. As he waited for Arya to do the same, Eragon asked, "What about Roran?"

"I've arranged for your cousin and his family to be sufficiently entertained while we're gone. They should have no reason to ask for us, or you, and if they do, we should be back in time."

Eragon didn't have to ask why they would be back before anyone noticed they were gone. If they didn't return in time, someone would come looking for them. He doubted they had much to fear from anything in the Spine, since the Urgals were now their allies, but Galbatorix had many loyal servants, and it wasn't inconceivable that they might be waiting for a moment that the two Dragon Riders would be alone, since the third Dragon Rider was far from their reach.

As Saphira took to the air, she asked Eragon, _Should we tell them we've already been and gone?_

_No. It was only a fast trip that we took, so we didn't have much time to really look. Besides, Arya and Fírnen want to see it. We won't have much of an opportunity to spend time with them, nor will we have much time to visit as we'd like to._

_I wish we didn't have to leave._

_Me too, but the safety of the eggs and the Eldunarí have to come before our wants and needs. Maybe we won't have to leave forever; maybe we'll be able to come visit._

He sensed her hope, and shared in it too. Neither of them really wanted to leave all they'd ever known, but they had a responsibility as Vrael's heir to the title of Leader of the Dragon Riders to protect the eggs and Eldunarí, and they had a responsibility to the people of Alagaësia. He pushed that thought to the back of his mind; this wasn't the time to be feeling melancholy. He was with Saphira, he was with Arya, and nothing else mattered except them and the time they were going to spend together.

Saphira and Fírnen rose above the trees and angled north. The two dragons sped over the forest of Du Weldenvarden, chasing each other in the air while their Riders held on tight. Arya brushed lightly against Eragon's mind and he responded likewise, showing Arya what he remembered Carvahall being, what he remembered the farmhouse as being. He showed her everything he could remember, trying to prepare her for what she would see.

It was almost noon by the time they flew over the mountains that ringed in Palancar Valley. Saphira angled herself and carefully made increments in her direction, which Fírnen followed without so much as a complaint. They passed the tower where Galbatorix had murdered Vrael but didn't stop. That was a mutual decision; neither of them really wanted to set foot again in the place where so much violence had happened, violence that took from the world Vrael and Umaroth and countless other lives.

They soared over Palancar Valley, high in the sky where anyone who saw them might think them passing birds. Eragon spotted Therinsford and pointed it out to Arya. _That's Therinsford. That's where Brom and I first picked up the Ra'zac's trail._

_Was it not also where Roran was to be apprenticed?_

_It was. At least until... _Eragon let the sentence hang. Fate was a strange and often cruel mistress. They all had learned that, no matter how hard one tried to change fate, things happened according to how they were meant to be. _Until the Ra'zac killed our uncle and I ran away with Brom to hunt them down._

Arya said nothing, but there was incredible understanding from her.

The two dragons winged past Therinsford, then turned even more north, until on the horizon they could see tendrils of smoke rising, as well as smell the woodsmoke even from so far away as they were. Eragon smiled at the sight. It meant that Horst and the other villagers had returned to the sites of their old homes and were beginning to build a new village. He didn't want to stop and check on them though - they'd end up staying, visiting and feasting when the villagers should be focusing on building their homes and rebuilding their lives. Saphira angled herself to take then higher into the sky, where they wouldn't be spotted inadvertently, and Fírnen followed.

Finally, Eragon spotted the field where his childhood home had once stood. Now nothing remained, grown over by grass and wild oats. Saphira tilted her wings and began a slow descent toward the ground. She spiraled down, long sweeps over the open field, then landed lightly on her hind legs. She rolled forward, touched down on her front legs, letting her muscles absorb the impact of her landing. She folded her wings against her sides and looked up as Fírnen swept over their heads, then banked, coming around to land in front of Saphira and Eragon. Eragon undid the straps on his legs and slid from Saphira's back, stretching his arms and bending backwards a little to stretch the muscles in his back. Arya jumped from Fírnen's back and landed lightly on the ground.

"Is this it?" Arya asked softly.

Eragon turned to look at her. "This is it. Disappointed?"

She looked at him, almost a little startled. "No, not really. I was thinking it would be something... I don't know... More."

Eragon smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "It was the only home I'd ever known. Everything I was taught about life, about love, and family, and how to be a good man, was learned first right here. Saphira hatched here, right in my bedroom. I hid her in the forest, over there, while she grew."

_I'm going to show Fírnen,_ Saphira said, raising her wings. Eragon nodded. The two dragons launched into the air, then winged toward the trees of the Spine, vanishing under the dark boughs. Both of their Riders remained aware of their conversation and activities, but it was in the backgrounds of their minds, just as Arya and Eragon's conversation and activities would be in the back of the dragons' minds.

Eragon moved forward where he remembered the barn being. "We had a hard life, but it was a good life. We had chickens, a cow, and two horses. I never found out what happened to them, but I guess the Ra'zac ate them." He lifted a hand and pointed. "The Anora River flows over there, fed by a waterfall up in the Spine. When I was little, Roran and I would play there. If the weather was right, you could swim, but you had to be careful. We also had a field of wheat, and a garden full of all sorts of vegetables. To help out, I'd go hunting. I wasn't always successful, but what I did manage to catch help us to survive."

Arya remained silent, following him around the land and surveying it, as if she were trying to superimpose what he had shown her from his memories over what was reality.

"The house stood here." Eragon said. "My uncle built it himself, for my Aunt Marian. It was two stories, with a wide enclosed porch. The roof was shingled, and there was a single chimney. My room was somewhere over here." He stopped. "I didn't have much. Just a yew bow, a quiver full of arrows I made myself, worn clothes, and some odds and ends I found growing up."

"You knew nothing of riches until you began traveling with Brom." Arya observed.

Eragon grinned, both at her comment and at Saphira trying to show Fírnen how to work his way through brambles without tearing his wing membranes. "I'd seen riches, but back then to me, having something to eat was more important than gold or gems."

Arya smiled. "How different our upbringings."

"I can't help but think how different things would have been if my mother hadn't made the decisions she did."

"Those are thoughts that will only serve to make you depressed."

"Maybe, but sometimes I wonder."

Arya moved to stand beside him and linked her fingers with his. "The land here is beautiful. I can see why you loved this place so much. I would love to see a hall built here, a hall where we could stay together."

Eragon's heart warmed. He smiled. "I wish that too. You might have to look for Roran to build you a hall for that. I'm sure he'd welcome you and Fírnen on a visit."

"I'm sure he would," Arya replied dryly.

They stood together as the sun began to slowly sink, painting the sky in pinks and purples. Eragon spoke every now and then, telling some story of whatever came to mind about his childhood. Then Arya shifted just enough to catch his attention, and when he turned to look at her, she kissed him.

It wasn't a demanding kiss. It wasn't hot and searing. It wasn't yielding. Eragon didn't care. He let his eyes close a little and lifted his other hand to cup her cheek, deepening their kiss as they stood together in the growing twilight. When at last they parted, Eragon was smiling and Arya looked at him with bright eyes, as if she were going to cry. Then she smiled and kissed him lightly again.

"One day, I will visit you." She said in the ancient language. That she said it and believed it warmed Eragon in ways he couldn't describe.

"One day, I'll come to visit you." He replied in the ancient language. Her smile grew brighter as she absorbed those words.

It was nearing dark when Saphira and Fírnen returned to them. Eragon and Arya mounted on their dragons and, as the stars were just beginning to pierce the darkness with their light, the four of them launched into the air and began the flight back to Du Weldenvarden, Ellesméra, and the future waiting for them all.


End file.
